


I Feel a lot like 17

by ShirubiSweetie



Category: Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23092588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShirubiSweetie/pseuds/ShirubiSweetie
Summary: "Then why are you here?" Lewis asked. "You're not allowed to use the time machine."Wilbur huffed out a laugh, because it was still true, he shouldn't be using the time machine, but he just....He had to."I know," He nodded. "I-I just, I needed to talk to you.""But why me?" Lewis asked, tossing his rag on his tool cart. "Why now?"Wilbur opened his mouth and closed it a few times, floundering for something to say. Why did he have to come? Why couldn't he talk to his dad, the one in his own time, the one who he looked up to and sometimes was frustrated by?"I needed to talk to you as a friend," Wilbur said, his voice cracking."I'd hope even when you're my son that we're still friends," Lewis said, and Wilbur could feel hot tears forming in his eyes. He pinched his eyes shut, ready to turn and run. He didn't like crying in front of anyone, but he'd been making himself sick over this conversation. "Wilbur."
Relationships: Franny Robinson/Lewis | Cornelius Robinson, Wilbur Robinson/Original Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 131





	I Feel a lot like 17

**Author's Note:**

> The first of many fics that I don't feel should go on my other AO3 account. I hope you all enjoy this, let's assume Lewis is making a more fuel efficient car. I'm also not a big fan of crossovers, that's why Wilbur is with an original character and not Hiro or Violet. He's 20 here, making Lewis 19, and Tanner is probably....19ish as well. I've been out of college a while, I don't know how old you are in college.

Wilbur pulled his hat down further on his head as he walked towards the house, the rain pounding down around him and the lawn squishing beneath his feet, rainwater soaking into his shoes. 

He knew, _he knew_ , it was a stupid idea to go back, but he just had to. This wasn't something he could talk to his dad about, it had to be a peer. It had to be someone young enough to understand the fear and the frustration. His dad hadn't been on a date in over 20 years. 

But Lewis was just falling in love with Franny, starting this great adventure with new feelings and butterflies. 

Wilbur jiggled the handle on the garage door, and the finicky latch gave way. He really should have fixed it a long time ago. 

Like he thought, Lewis was hunched over a car, his first attempt at building one. It wouldn't work, Wilbur knew that, but it would lead to many inventions that would. His first successful attempt would be the vehicle that Cornelius would drive his wife to the hospital in when she went into labor with their little boy. 

Mom cried when they got rid of that car. Wilbur wasn't as sentimental. 

"You forget something, Fran?" Lewis asked, not looking up from the engine he was elbow deep in. Wilbur didn't respond, lowering his hood as Lewis peered over his shoulder at the lack of response. They met eyes, and Wilbur took off his baseball cap, shaking water out of it. "Wilbur."

"Hey, Lewis," Wilbur sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Only Franny calls me that anymore," Lewis said as he pulled his arms out of the engine, reaching for a rag to wipe his hands off on, a slight smile on his face. The smile fell quickly though when he looked back at Wilbur. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Wilbur shook his head, water flying from his damp hair. 

"Then why are you here?" Lewis asked. "You're not allowed to use the time machine."

Wilbur huffed out a laugh, because it was still true, he shouldn't be using the time machine, but he just....

He had to. 

"I know," He nodded. "I-I just, I needed to talk to you."

"But why me?" Lewis asked, tossing his rag on his tool cart. "Why now?"

Wilbur opened his mouth and closed it a few times, floundering for something to say. Why did he have to come? Why couldn't he talk to his dad, the one in his own time, the one who he looked up to and sometimes was frustrated by? 

"I needed to talk to you as a friend," Wilbur said, his voice cracking. 

"I'd hope even when you're my son that we're still friends," Lewis said, and Wilbur could feel hot tears forming in his eyes. He pinched his eyes shut, ready to turn and run. He didn't like crying in front of anyone, but he'd been making himself sick over this conversation. "Wilbur."

The next thing he knew, Lewis was striding towards him, wrapping his arms around him, tucking his head against his shoulder, and Wilbur was breaking.

He sobbed against his dad, cried softly as he was held and shushed, rocked and his hair pet. 

"Whatever it is that's bothering you, we'll work it out," Lewis said. "I promise."

"It's not that easy," Wilbur said, pulling back and wiping at his face, trying to calm himself down.

"Let's sit, kiddo," Lewis said, motioning towards the work bench. There were two stools, one probably for Franny. She still liked to sit and watch Dad invent, sometimes. 

"I'm older than you," Wilbur said with a sniffle, heading towards the bench that housed a bunch of car parts covered in grease. 

"In your time years," Lewis smirked. "Right now, in my time, you're just a passing thought in your mom's head when she sees a cute baby. And a dreadful thought in mine."

"Lewis," Wilbur groaned, rolling his eyes.

"What? I'm just saying, I'm 19, I'm not ready for you yet," He said, sitting on the stool beside Wilbur. "At least not as a son. Right now we're friends." 

"Right," Wilbur nodded, taking a deep breath. "There's been something I've wanted to tell you, a-and Mom. I don't want to put it off any longer, but I just don't know how to tell you guys."

"What is it, Wil?" Lewis asked, and Wilbur took another deep breath. His dad called him Wil, among other nicknames. 

"Lewis," He said, biting his lip. "Dad. I-I'm gay."

"Is that what you're so scared to tell Franny and I?" Lewis asked, scooting closer. "Wilbur, speaking as a friend, you can love whoever you want, and that won't change how I feel about you."

"A-And as my dad?" Wilbur asked, finally looking over at Lewis. 

"Well, as your dad," Lewis started, considering. How would he feel as an adult, Wilbur supposed he didn't really know since he was so much younger. "As your dad I love you no matter what. You don't have to be scared to be who you are around me. Trust me, based on our family, you being gay is the most normal thing you could have told me. My uncle married and had children with a puppet, I still don't know how that works."

"Yeah," Wilbur laughed. "Guess you're right about that."

"What would I say now? If I was your dad?" Lewis asked, and Wilbur thought. He thought about all the times he admitted to his dad that he got a bad grade in science, or that he wrecked the flying car, or he blocked the teleport tube with a bean bag chair.

"If you were Dad," He sighed. "You'd hug me and tell me that you still love me and nothing can change that. And that while we don't always see eye to eye, I'm your son and that's what matters."

Lewis clapped him on the back, offering him a smile.

"C'mere, Kiddo," He said, and Wilbur leaned over for another hug. "I know it's different coming from me, but I do love you. You're my son, I'll always love you." 

"Thanks, Dad," Wilbur mumbled, and it was kind of nice being able to talk to his dad like a friend again. 

"And, hey, half of the hard part is over," Lewis said as they separated. "Now I know. I'll always know. So when you go back, your Dad will know too."

"I don't know if you will," Wilbur shook his head. "There's some parts of the whole time change that everyone remembers, especially Dad, but other parts that only I remember." 

"Like what?" 

"Well, like your friend Goob, mostly," Wilbur said, thinking of his dad's friend. 

"I'm still friends with Goob in the future?" Lewis asked, and Wilbur nodded. "He's been so tied up with his girlfriend lately, I hardly hear from him now."

"Well get used to that," Wilbur laughed. "He and Lizzy'll get married out of school, and have some great kids that you'll love."

"Really?" Lewis asked, raising his brows. 

"Yeah," Wilbur nodded. "There's Maggie, she's off traveling, last I heard she was volunteering in Europe somewhere. You gave her a lot of inventions to help make the world a better place."

"I did?" 

"Sure did," Wilbur smiled. "And then there's Mildred, Millie. She's a great softball player, she's set to go pro after she graduates college this year. And the youngest is Tanner."

Wilbur could feel his face heat up at the mention of the youngest Yagoobian. The thought of the mornings they spent over coffee on campus, now that he was a freshman the same college as Wilbur. All of the study sessions in the library. The occasional time _alone_ in one of their dorms during a roommate's class. 

"Tanner, huh?" Lewis asked, nudging Wilbur with his elbow. 

"Yeah, he's a baseball player, not as good as Millie is at softball, but he's okay. Plays on the college team. He's studying whatever the science of bugs is, he loves those creepy things. Grosses me out," Wilbur admitted with a soft smile. 

"And is he the reason you didn't want to put off telling me any longer?" Lewis asked, raising a brow. Wilbur blushed, his eyes downcast. 

"That's an excellent question," He said, and then he was hopping to his feet. "I really should be getting back-"

"Like this?" Lewis asked, motioning to him. "You're soaking wet. At least let me get you some dry clothes."

"No time," Wilbur shook his head. "Besides, I'll just get all wet on the way back to the time machine."

Lewis scowled, but he nodded. 

"Don't be worried about telling your mom, Wilbur," He said. "She teaches frogs music. You liking a boy is perfectly normal."

"Thanks, Lewis," Wilbur said, leaning in for a quick hug. "I'll see you soon."

"Not too soon," Lewis said as he let him go. "Be good."

"Thanks, Dad," Wilbur smiled, slapping his baseball cap back on his head and pulling up his hood before he ran back out into the rain.

* * *

Wilbur ran through the warm, sunny lawn on his way to the front door of the house. He'd parked the time machine in the out-garage, where Dad kept his older vehicles on lock down, and it was nearly dinner time now. He hurried past Spike and Dimitri, offering them a wave, and running through the front hall towards the kitchen. Carl was working on dinner, and luckily, his parents were having their traditional before-dinner coffee at the kitchen table, just the two of them. 

"Mom, Dad," He panted, slowing to a stop and getting his parent's attention. "I have something to tell you."

"Honey, what happened, you're soaking wet," Mom said, furrowing her brows and setting her mug down. "It's not raining."

"Guys, I have someone coming to dinner tonight," Wilbur said, ignoring his mom's worry. 

"Who?" She asked, getting up and grabbing a towel from the kitchen. She came over and pushed his hood down and took off his cap before drying his face. "Honey, have you been crying?"

"I invited Tanner," Wilbur admitted, and he caught his dad smiling at him. 

"Well that's fine, baby, but you need to get out of these clothes before you catch a cold," Mom said, picking at his wet shirt. 

"Franny, Honey, let the boy talk," Dad said, motioning for her to sit back down. "He's trying to tell you something important." 

Mom scowled with worry, but still she sat, towel still in hand. 

"I'm sorry, Wilbur," she said. "Go on."

"Well, guys, the reason that Tanner is coming for dinner is because, uh, we're dating," Wilbur admitted, feeling a weight off of his shoulders when his dad smiled at him. "I'm gay."

Mom grasped the towel she had in both hands, partially covering her mouth as she took a deep, quivering breath. 

"Oh, Wil, Baby," She said as she got up, reaching out to pull him into a hug. "I'm so proud of you. I love you so much."

"Thanks, Mom," Wilbur sighed, hugging her tightly. He never liked seeing his mom cry, it made him want to cry, and he didn't cry much in front of his dad. 

"Don't cry, Honey, you told me," she said, pulling back and wiping his face again with the towel. "That's a wonderful thing." 

"I know," Wilbur nodded, letting his mom cup his face and pull him down to kiss his forehead. He had outgrown her a few years ago, taking after his dad. 

"Wil," Dad said, and Wilbur turned away from his mom to face the man as he stood. He reached out for a hug of his own, and Wilbur accepted it gladly. "You remember what I told you?" Dad whispered against his damp hair. 

"Don't be scared to be who I am?" 

"And that I love you, and I'll always love you," Dad said, giving him one more squeeze before stepping back. "I'm so proud of you, kiddo." He reached up and ruffled his dark locks, and Wilbur scowled. 

"Dad," He groaned, trying to duck away from the hand. Not that it was messing up his hair, the hat did a good job of that. 

"Uh, am I interrupting?"

Wilbur turned and saw Tanner standing in the doorway, brown hair falling kind of shaggy on his head, almost covering his dark eyes. He had a on a black t-shirt and light skinny jeans with his black converse, ones that matched the ones Wilbur was currently swimming in.

"Lefty let me in," Tanner said, pointing over his shoulder. 

"No, you're not interrupting anything," Wilbur said, striding over and wrapping his arms around the shorter man, leaning down to give him a kiss. When they pulled back, Tanner beamed at him. That was worth the stress of telling his parents right there. 

"Why are you all wet?" Tanner asked, glancing down at Wilbur's saturated clothes. 

"I was out in the rain," He shrugged a shoulder. 

"It's not raining."

"No it's not," Wilbur shook his head. "I'm going to go get changed, I'll be right back down for dinner."

He gave Tanner another quick kiss before heading off down the hall, and as he hurried, he could hear Mom and Dad talking to Tanner, welcoming him like they always had. 


End file.
